1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a display apparatus installed on an outer surface of a refrigerator to display information on operations of the refrigerator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows the outer constitution of a general refrigerator. As shown in the figure, a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber are provided as storage spaces to be open forward within a main body 1 of the refrigerator. Generally, the freezing chamber is provided above the refrigerating chamber. The freezing and refrigerating chambers can be selectively opened by doors 3, 5 for the freezing and refrigerating chambers, respectively. The doors 3, 5 are provided with handles 3xe2x80x2, 5xe2x80x2 to facilitate opening and closing of the doors 3, 5, respectively.
A dispenser 7 may be provided on a front surface of the door 5 to be exposed to the outside. The dispenser 7 allows a user to drink water through the interior of the refrigerator without opening the door 5.
Meanwhile, a display unit 10 is installed on a side of a front surface of the door 3. The display unit 10 is a unit for displaying a variety of information on the operating status or operations of the refrigerator.
The inner constitution of such a display unit 10 is well shown in FIG. 2. As shown in this figure, a double-sided board 12 is formed with circuit patterns 14 on opposite sides thereof. Light-emitting devices 15 such as LEDs are mounted on the circuit patterns 14. The light-emitting devices 15 are arranged in various configurations to indicate a variety of information. For example, Arabic numerals can be indicated by combining seven light-emitting devices 15 that emit light in a bar shape.
The light-emitting devices 15 are seated on the double-sided board 12 and emit light when a predetermined voltage is applied thereto through the circuit patterns 14 formed on the double-sided board 12. Such light-emitting devices 15 are seated on the circuit patterns 14 and then electrically connected to adjacent circuit patterns 14 through wires 16 in order to receive the predetermined voltage. Several dozens of light-emitting devices 15 are generally used for forming one display unit 10.
Further, the double-sided board 12 is mounted on a frame 18 constituting the display unit 10. A cover 19 is provided in the front of the frame 18 so that only light emitted from the light-emitting devices 15 can be seen from the outside.
However, there are problems in the prior art as follows.
Since the double-sided board 12 is formed with the circuit patterns 14 on both the opposite sides thereof, there is a problem in that production costs of the board are relatively high.
Meanwhile, since the wires 16 are used for electrical connection with light-emitting devices 15, there is another problem in that wire bonding portions of the light-emitting devices 15 and circuit patterns 14 to which the wires 16 are bonded should be plated with gold in order to enhance bondability of the wires.
Moreover, since the wires 16 are used for electrical connection between the light-emitting devices 15 and the circuit devices 14, there is a further problem in that a large number of wires 16 are utilized and thus a failure due to wire breakage frequently occurs while or after the wire bonding operation is performed.
The present invention is contemplated to solve the problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple display apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a display apparatus of which manufacturing process is relatively simplified and a fraction defective is lowered.
According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, there is provided a display apparatus for a refrigerator, comprising a single-sided board with circuit patterns formed only on one side thereof; a plurality of light-emitting devices which are mounted on the one side of the single-sided board and of which leads are connected with the circuit patterns to receive electrical signals and to selectively emit light; and jumper wires for electrically connecting the circuit patterns with one another in such a manner that both ends of each of the jumper wires are connected with the circuit patterns and an intermediate portion thereof is disposed on a side opposite to the one side with the circuit patterns formed thereon by penetrating through the single-sided board.
The jumper wires may make electrical connection between the circuit patterns which form circuits separate from one another.
The single-sided board may be formed with a plurality of through-holes so that the jumper wires penetrate through the single-sided board.
The light-emitting devices may be mounted on the side with the circuit patterns formed thereon.
Preferably, the single-sided board is mounted on a frame, and a cover is installed on the frame so that only light emitted from the light-emitting devices can be viewed from the outside.
The display apparatus for the refrigerator according to the present invention constructed as such has advantages in that production costs are reduced, the manufacturing process is simplified, and the fraction defective is minimized.